The Lincoln-Sudbury football team knew it would be facing Barnstable when it clinched a playoff spot Nov. 2. With the Red Raiders’ résumé, the Warriors needed the extra time. Barnstable is the No. 1 team in the state in multiple rankings heading into the EMass Division 1A semifinal with the Warriors in Taunton on Tuesday evening.

By Dan Cagen/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

By Dan Cagen/Daily News staff

Posted Nov. 27, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 27, 2012 at 2:04 AM

By Dan Cagen/Daily News staff

Posted Nov. 27, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Nov 27, 2012 at 2:04 AM

» Social News

The Lincoln-Sudbury football team knew it would be facing Barnstable when it clinched a playoff spot Nov. 2.

With the Red Raiders’ résumé, the Warriors needed the extra time.

Barnstable is the No. 1 team in the state in multiple rankings heading into the EMass Division 1A semifinal with the Warriors in Taunton on Tuesday evening (5:15 p.m.). The Red Raiders (10-0) boast a quarterback in Nick Peabody who recently picked up an offer to play at Princeton, an offense averaging close to 40 points per game, and a win over defending Super Bowl champion Everett.

All of which means L-S coach Tom Lopez has spent most of the month preparing for Tuesday night’s game.

"We scouted the last two (Barnstable) games," Lopez said. "We’ve been breaking down films. (Thanksgiving rival) Newton South was the start of Barnstable week. We were preparing for the playoff game."

The Red Raiders run a pass-oriented spread offense. Lopez said the Warriors (10-1) have faced spread offenses before, such as Westford Academy, but none that use it to throw the ball so much. It’s resulted in a huge season for Peabody (2,340 passing yards, 30 TDs) and headaches for Lopez.

"This team spreads you out and they pass the ball," Lopez said. "And they go deep. In the films I’ve seen, they’ve had three touchdowns of 90 yards."

It’s a rematch of a game last season in the same round, won by L-S 14-13 after trailing 13-0. The Warriors went on to lose in the Super Bowl to Everett, which faces Masconomet in the other Div. 1A semifinal.

In last year’s meeting, Peabody was a receiver. Barnstable runs a slightly different offense with him under center. The Red Raiders' passing game — with dangerous weapons Dylan Morris (16 touchdowns) and Tedaro France (13 TD) at receiver — will present the toughest challenge the L-S defense (89 points allowed all season) has faced.

The Warriors also lost running back/safety Brian Carroll early in that game with a shoulder injury. Ironically, Carroll has missed most of this season with a sprained knee suffered in training camp, but returned against Newton South and had 92 receiving yards and an interception.

He could be a boost to an offense that’s averaged 24.7 points a game, but has been inconsistent. The Warriors lean heavily on quarterback Henry Guild and running back Chris Giorgio.

"Now that Brian’s back, that’s another weapon," Lopez said. "I don’t think we have one player that’s as good as they have, but I think we can spread it out and have some success."

Millis-Hopedale (8-3) is also back in the playoffs, but coach Dale Olmsted is hoping for a different result than the one in last year’s semifinals.

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Playing in the postseason for the first time in over a decade, Olmsted admits the Mohawks were overwhelmed by the situation in a 30-12 loss to Mashpee.

This year, Olmsted took steps to address that, scheduling non-league games at Wayland (loss), Cardinal Spellman (win) and Nantucket (win). He hopes it pays off Tuesday in the Div. 4 semifinals against 11-0 Abington (Bridgewater-Raynham, 5:15 p.m.).

"I felt those games would help us prepare for this game," Olmsted said. "I guess we’ll find out tomorrow."

The Mohawks stumbled down the stretch, falling to a pair of sub-.500 teams in Medfield and Thanksgiving rival Medway in their final two games. Millis-Hopedale has been without a pair of key players in those games: senior running back/safety Bay Tangney broke his leg against Bellingham on Nov. 2, and the Mohawks will also be without senior lineman Andrew Joe.

"We still got a lot of talent on our team and they’re being filled by players with experience," Olmsted said. "We found some players that we think can fill in. We’re playing this game like it’s our last and we’re not coming in full blow, but last year we did so maybe this year will be different.

"I don’t remember them ever giving a trophy before the game, but we’re excited."

Wayland (8-3) had a chance to scout its Div. 3 semifinal opponent on Thanksgiving, knowing they’d face the Holliston-Westwood winner. Warriors coach Scott Parseghian says they passed on scouting Westwood’s 42-14 win, but he has an idea of what to expect.

The Wolverines (8-3) employ a run-heavy spread offense similar to Westford, which beat Wayland 29-10 last month.

"We didn’t play well. It was not one of our best games," said Parseghian, who noted it came after facing league powers Acton-Boxboro and L-S.

Parseghian sees some advantages for his offense.

"We feel like we can exploit some of their weaknesses," he said. "Our receivers are taller than them so we might be able to take advantage of that, throw some jump balls."

Natick (10-1) returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2009 when it faces Atlantic Coast League champion Plymouth South (8-3) at Braintree at 7:45 p.m.

Saying his players are equal parts nervous and excited, coach Mark Mortarelli pointed to stopping running back Dylan Oxsen as a key for the Redhawks. Oxsen has a state-leading 35 touchdowns.

"No one’s really slowed him down," Mortarelli said. "I think you just have to tackle well. If you miss tackles against this guy, he’ll make you pay."

Dan Cagen can be reached at 508-626-3848 or dcagen@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanCagen.